Cullingworth nestles in Yorkshire's wonderful South Pennines and I have the pleasure and delight to be the village's Conservative Councillor. But these are my views - on politics, food, beer and the stupidity of those who want to tell me what to think or do. And a little on mushrooms.

Friday, 2 July 2010

Friday Fungus: The soup that wasn't

I was going to make mushroom soup and then tell you all about it! But there has been a realisation that – as the 2010 soft fruit harvest approaches – we have reached the point where all the pans are being used for making jam.

So no soup. I was planning to make this Balinese mushroom soup with some shitake mushrooms and, as I’ve made some consommé, a lovely fresh soup with dried porcini and cardamom. The first is fiddly and complicated but the consommé is simple and tasty – making a really fancy looking posh soup for that all-important dinner party (not that I ever have any of those but I’m told that’s what we’re supposed to say when doing preambles for recipes).

To make the soup take some beef stock (or ‘bouillon’ as the fancy recipe books like to call it) – or make some beef stock – enough to serve the ravening hordes at your important dinner party. Take a big handful of dried porcini, crunch them up in you hands and drop them into the boiling stock along with 5 or 6 green cardamom pods. Simmer for about 30 minutes, add some black pepper and a little salt if needed. Serve in warmed bowls.